Blackpool more than capable of hosting major events

A Lancashire business leader has said Blackpool is ready to host major events as it prepares for one of the county’s leading business awards.

Tony Raynor, managing director of telecommunications firm, Abbey Telecom, said the resort was the perfect venue for the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, which holds its annual prize-giving ceremony at The Blackpool Tower on Friday.

The awards will be handed out in front of a sell-out crowd and will bring hundreds of thousands of pounds of business with it.

Mr Raynor said the BIBAs was exactly the type of event which Blackpool needs to attract if it is to thrive.

He said: “This is the tenth year the BIBAs has been held and the Tower and Blackpool has reaped the rewards of hosting many of its ceremonies.

“Every person attending the ceremony will be spending money in the resort whether that is using local taxis, staying in hotel rooms or enjoying one of the resort’s many attractions over the weekend.

“Not only that, but the staging of the county’s premier business awards event in the magnificent Tower Ballroom is a great advertisement for Blackpool.”

The awards have already confirmed it has spent a substantial six-figure sum with suppliers to the awards, including Blackpool-based Rowley’s Catering, which will provide a three-course meal for those attending this week’s ceremony.

The BIBAs’ judging panels have selected the winners of its 17 main prize categories while winners have also been selected for its Most Inspiring Young Person Award and its lifetime achievement prize, Lancastrian of the Year.

The Most Inspiring Young Person Award winner has been selected from names put forward by successful applications to its BIBAs Foundation, the awards’ charitable arm set up to award grants to groups behind youth enterprise.

This award was selected by a panel made up of Foundation sponsor, BAE Systems, the Community Foundation for Lancashire, which runs the charity with the BIBAs, and current Lancastrian of the Year, Ian Hall, chairman of Preston-based retail group, James Hall and Sons.